East St. Paul sex offender clinic risking shutdown

Published 9:58 am Wednesday, November 19, 2014

ST. PAUL — A day treatment center that works with sex offenders who suffer from traumatic brain injury or other disabilities may close after some contracts with Ramsey County run out.

The nonprofit clinic’s director disagrees with the assertion that ABC Mental Health Therapy’s group approach has fallen out of step with best practices. Dane Jorento said closing the East St. Paul facility would reduce nonprofit options for the state and county by 100 percent. He said both of the government entities save money by placing sex offenders into treatment rather than lifelong incarceration.

But a Ramsey County spokesman said ABC’s services no longer align with the state and county direction toward individualized treatment plans.

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The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports ABC could close in a few weeks, when a county contract is discontinued by the end of December.